2 dead, 2 boys hurt in Nevada school shooting

Police secure the scene near Sparks Middle School after a shooting in Sparks, Nev., on Monday, Oct. 21, 2013. Authorities are reporting that two people were killed and two wounded at the Nevada middle school.

SPARKS, Nev. — A shooting at a middle school in northern Nevada has left two people dead and two boys in critical condition, rattling parents, teachers and students as they showed up for the start of the school week.

The identities of the shooter and victims weren't immediately known. The suspect is "down," police said, and school officials say there is no further danger.

The first reports of the shooting came in at about 7:15 a.m., about 15 minutes before the first classes were set to begin.

Students from the middle school and next door elementary school were evacuated to the nearby high school, and classes were canceled.

The shooting happened on the school's campus, but outside the school building itself, according to police.

Gov. Brian Sandoval issued a statement after hearing about the shooting.

"I was deeply saddened to learn of the horrific shooting at Sparks Middle School this morning. My administration is receiving regular updates and the Nevada Highway Patrol is assisting at the scene," he said. Sandoval extended his thoughts and prayers to those affected.

"No words of condolence could possibly ease the pain, but I hope it is some small comfort that Nevada mourns with them. I stand by to be of any assistance if there is anything that can be done," Reid said in a statement.

The school, which enrolls about 700 students in 7th and 8th grades, has a strict uniform policy that forbids the colors red and blue in students' outfits, colors commonly associated with rival gangs.

The violence erupted nearly a year after a gunman horrified the nation by opening fire in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., leaving 26 dead. The Dec. 14 shooting reignited debate over how best to protect the nation's schools and whether armed teachers should be part of that equation.

Washoe County School District held a session in the spring in light of the Connecticut tragedy to educate parents on what safety measures the district takes.

Sparks, a city of roughly 90,000 that sprung out of the railway industry, lies just east of Reno.